Wannabe pastor found guilty of molesting two young male relatives

Orange County District Attorney Press Release

For Immediate Release, Case # 09WF1805: February 19, 2014

SELF-APPOINTED PASTOR/BIBLE STUDY LEADER SENTENCED TO 15 YEARS TO LIFE IN PRISON FOR SEXUALLY ASSAULTING TWO YOUNG MALE RELATIVES

WESTMINSTER – A self-appointed pastor who hosted regular “church” meetings and Bible studies in his Westminster home was sentenced today to 15 years to life in state prison for sexually assaulting two young male relatives beginning when the victims were 12 years old. James Ray Guerrero, 54, Westminster, was found guilty by a jury Nov. 27, 2013, of eight felony counts of lewd acts upon a child under 14, one felony count of distributing pornography to a minor, and sentencing enhancement allegations for substantial sexual conduct with a child and lewd acts on more than one child.

The People objected to the sentence of 15 years to life in state prison by the Honorable Michael Beecher, arguing for a sentence of 120 years to life in state prison. The maximum possible sentence based on the conviction is 123 years to life in state prison.

John Doe #1 and John Doe #2 regularly attended Guerrero’s Bible study meetings in his Westminster home. Guerrero groomed the victims by frequently having the victims in his home and showing them pornographic movies.

Between January 2006 and December 2007, Guerrero sexually assaulted John Doe #1 on two occasions when the victim was 12 to 13 years old. The defendant invited John Doe #1 to his home and masturbated the victim.

Between late 2005 and early 2007, Guerrero molested John Doe #2 in his Westminster home on several occasions when the victim was 12 years old, including masturbation, sexual touching, and attempted sodomy.

Guerrero instructed both victims not to tell anyone about the assault.

In July 2009, John Doe #1, then-15 years old, disclosed to family members that he had been molested by Guerrero. The Westminster Police Department investigated this case and discovered the sexual assault against John Doe #2.

At the sentencing today, two written victim impact statements, from a mother and grandmother of the victims, were read to the court and described the violation of trust and robbing of the victims’ innocence.

Deputy District Attorney Bobby Taghavi of the Sexual Assault Unit prosecuted this case.

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Tony Rackauckas, District Attorney 401 Civic Center Drive West Santa Ana, CA 92701

Contacts:

Susan Kang Schroeder Chief of Staff Office: 714-347-8408 Cell: 714-292-2718

Farrah Emami Spokesperson Office: 714-347-8405 Cell: 714-323-4486

Art Pedroza Editor

Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions. When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.

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